Is Philly the right area for me? (Philadelphia, Chester: pros and cons, taxes)

[njforlife92]

Hello all,

I am at a point in my life where I can choose where I want to live - be it stay where I am, or move elsewhere.

So a little about me:
- I'm single, in my 20s
- I am very politically active, Republican
- I can see pros and cons to living in rurual, urban, or suburban enviornments. I'd probably be happiest in a small city with suburban communities as well
- I enjoy hiking, exploring new places, restaurants/bars (not a partier though), scenery, and history

What I'm looking for in a place:
- affordability
- safety
- plenty to do
- welcoming people
- ability to be active in politics
- economic opportunity

Is the Philly area the right place for me?

[Clark Park]

Originally Posted by njforlife92

- I am very politically active, Republican

Please be aware that in Philadelphia just 17% of the registered voters are Republicans. 17% ... that all. This is one of the most staunchly Democratic cities in the US.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by njforlife92

Hello all,

I am at a point in my life where I can choose where I want to live - be it stay where I am, or move elsewhere.

So a little about me:
- I'm single, in my 20s
- I am very politically active, Republican
- I can see pros and cons to living in rurual, urban, or suburban enviornments. I'd probably be happiest in a small city with suburban communities as well
- I enjoy hiking, exploring new places, restaurants/bars (not a partier though), scenery, and history

What I'm looking for in a place:
- affordability
- safety
- plenty to do
- welcoming people
- ability to be active in politics
- economic opportunity

Is the Philly area the right place for me?

Are you looking for a suburb? If so, do you want to stay in Jersey?

[Becca8377]

You have posted the exact same thread in multiple areas of this forum. I suggest you actually read the sticky and fill out your answers if you want a good response.

//www.city-data.com/forum/phila...formation.html

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Please be aware that in Philadelphia just 17% of the registered voters are Republicans. 17% ... that all. This is one of the most staunchly Democratic cities in the US.

While Democrats wield the power, Republicans aren't totally absent from the political scene. If anything, a young, politically ambitious Republican will have a far better chance of playing a meaningful role within his party, given the lack of competition.

On the other hand, if the OP would prefer a less urban environment, the more lively Borough centers like West Chester or Media would fit the bill. Delaware County still has a very active Republican machine, and they're thirsty for fresh blood. Republicans don't reign supreme in DelCo quite like they once did, but they're still strong enough that my uncle, who works for the county, remains registered for the GOP because he likes having a job.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Please be aware that in Philadelphia just 17% of the registered voters are Republicans. 17% ... that all. This is one of the most staunchly Democratic cities in the US.

But the suburbs, even with demographic shifts, are still pretty Republican.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by kyb01

But the suburbs, even with demographic shifts, are still pretty Republican.

Depending on the suburb and the OP's preferred variety of Republican. These days, there's a pretty sizeable disparity between Republican registrants and Republican voters, especially on the national level. In educated and affluent areas especially, even Republican voters are frequently social moderates to liberals who vote GOP because they prioritize low taxes over individual freedoms.

Of course, depending on where the OP is coming from, s/he may already be accustomed to this.

[MikeNigh]

Originally Posted by njforlife92

Hello all,

I am at a point in my life where I can choose where I want to live - be it stay where I am, or move elsewhere.

So a little about me:
- I'm single, in my 20s
- I am very politically active, Republican
- I can see pros and cons to living in rurual, urban, or suburban enviornments. I'd probably be happiest in a small city with suburban communities as well
- I enjoy hiking, exploring new places, restaurants/bars (not a partier though), scenery, and history

What I'm looking for in a place:
- affordability
- safety
- plenty to do
- welcoming people
- ability to be active in politics
- economic opportunity

Is the Philly area the right place for me?

If you are single the city is definitely the only place to be. As far as politics and being apart of things etc philly is probably one of the most perfect places to be. The city is improving on all fronts and a lot of regular people are apart of that and it's very easy to join their groups and make a significant impact. If you like hiking you could stay in fairmount park so you could easily visit the park and run along the river.

As far as exploring new places and scenery etc, the scenery won't be green but you have A LOT to explore and will probably always be kept busy.

[sinbadx81]

I think Philly fits the bill for most of your requirements. For hiking, apart from city parks like Fairmount, you can drive a little ways out of the city in almost any direction to find some good places to hike and admire nature. Philly is definitely growing and bringing in a lot of 20-somethings recently. People are as friendly as one can expect in the northeast. I think people in the West are generally friendlier, but the people around Philly are mostly decent people. Not sure about the political aspect, but I'm sure you can track down a Republican enclave in one area or another - no place is completely one party or the other. Might be more Republicans toward the suburbs if you don't mind being a little outside the city.